Sheriff

Thursday, Aug. 15, 2002 | 9:09 a.m.

The race to become Clark County sheriff is crowded with veteran Metro Police officers and former candidates for the nonpartisan office.

The top two vote-getters in the primary election will face each other in the general election in November.

The race for the county's top cop got interesting early when Sheriff Jerry Keller announced last year he would not seek a third term.

The 10 candidates for sheriff vary widely in experience and background.

Rod Beasley, 51, an artist who ran his own gallery at Red Rock 11 Theaters for eight years, wants to lower the cost of getting a permit to carry a concealed weapon to $25 and focus on lowering the crime rate.

He also pledges to watch closely the seizure of accounts and property by the Internal Revenue Service and push for a loan-shark law.

Joe Castillo, 54, president of Nevada Search & Rescue and a Realtor, wants to initiate a zero-tolerance policy for any type of gang violence and would reorganize the department to reduce high-level positions.

He also wants to give the Citizen Review Board -- an independent board that looks into allegations of misconduct by Metro officers -- more power, to create more programs to protect senior citizens and to lobby for stronger laws against domestic violence. Castillo unsuccessfully ran for sheriff in 1998.

Steve Franks, 53, has been with Metro Police for 29 years and is a lieutenant in charge of the fraud detail. He wants to put officers back on the streets and stop 911 emergency calls from being put on hold.

He will make financial crime and identity theft priorities along with domestic violence. He wants the department to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and use the Citizen Review Board.

Debra Gauthier, 45, was a Metro officer for 21 years. She wants to rebuild the public's trust, reduce the bureaucracy within the department and put the officers back on the streets.

She also wants to expand the hours substations and offices are open, to make the department more accessible, and to improve training and discipline.

Christopher Grant, 46, a casino employee, pledges to have Metro serve the people, not the government, of Clark County. He developed a program to reduce crimes against senior citizens that uses retired law enforcement and financial professional volunteers.

He wants to rid the county of uninsured drivers, believing it will reduce the cost of car insurance for residents.

Gordon Martines, 51, has been a Metro officer for 28 years and is a robbery detective. He wants to emphasize the protection and safety of senior citizens and increase the pressure on gang-related crimes.

He also wants to have a department accessible to the citizens and free of corruption.

Ronald Moers, 61, a property manager and business owner, is a former sheriff's deputy in the Chicago area. He wants to create new programs to stress community crime prevention and improve the relations with residents by having officers assigned to patrol neighborhoods.

He also wants to target gang-related crime, make schools safer and have zero tolerance for drug dealers. Moers unsuccessfully ran for sheriff in 1998.

Randy Oaks, 49, has been a Metro officer for 28 years and currently is a captain in charge of the general services bureau. Oaks says the sheriff must be more than just a cop, but also know politics, the legislative process and the community. He says he has experience in all those areas.

He said he will improve the 911 system and improve service to the community. He will have officers go take reports on property crimes. Oaks unsuccessfully ran for sheriff in 1994.

Bill Young, 46, has been a Metro officer for 23 1/2 years and is deputy chief in charge of the special operations division. Young said he will be personally involved in the department's continuing efforts on homeland security.

Young maintains Metro is a good department and he wants to continue to improve service to the community and protection of the citizens. He wants to focus on improving the 911 system and fighting gang-related and drug-related crimes and identity theft and fraud.

Dirk Thomas, 50, has been a Metro officer for 15 years. He served in the Air Force for 12 years, leaving as a captain. Thomas said he wants more cooperation between the department and residents.

He wants the department not to waste money. He says disciplinary action against officers will be fair and fit the offense and wants the employees to make suggestions on how the department is run. Thomas unsuccessfully ran for sheriff in 1998.

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